Artist statement, part 2. Next I must explain that my art is not properly described as Portraits versus Landscapes or Still Lifes. Nor is my art properly differentiated by any of the art-isms: e.g. classicism, modernism, surrealism, minimalism, hype-real-ism, primitive-ism. No! The simple categories and vocabulary within which I think of my art is in the spectrum that ranges from portraits of persons to portraits of ideas, portraits of politics to portraits of science. 

 

Further, my goal is to make my art aesthetically approachable by every viewer. Thus, even such a troubling portrait as The Last Days of Giulio Regeni, is meant for even a child to see and perhaps respond, "I like the colors but why is that man naked".  Another viewer may choose or not to ponder deeper.

 

My art lies in The Realm of the Contended or contested persons, ideas, books, events, places and whatsuch. For sure Charles Darwin is such a person, On the Origin of Species is such a book, the theory of evolution is such an idea, The Scopes "Monkey Trial" was such an event, and the US Supreme Court Building is such a place. For simplicity, I think of place my painting Darwin on Fire as a portraits of a person; whereas I think of my painting On the Origin of Species as a portraits of an idea.

 

But for sure, Darwin, is much more than a person; just as On the Origin of Species is much more than a book of ideas. Both have strongly been appropriated by world culture. They have been popularized & pilloried, mythologized & demonized to the point where almost no one ever looks upon either with fresh eyes and mind.

 

Whether my painting, e.g. M and Raven, is a portrait versus landscape or still life; is quite irrelevant to my artistic process and purpose. As well, the styles, techniques, art-isms and other-isms to which my paintings belong is irrelevant to my artistic goal. For sure, my paintings are meant to aesthetically engage the viewer. But more, my art is meant to engage myself and the viewer in aspects of the rich and dynamic brew of world culture. Further, my paintings are not meant to clarify ambiguities or take sides in the cultural debates. They are meant to be objective portraits of contested and contended persons and ideas. Finally though the persons and ideas that inspired my art are specific; each painting is meant to engage the viewer with  universals beyond the subject, the artist or the viewer’s individual drama.